Electric circuit interrupter

Abstract

An electric circuit interrupter device in which an electric circuit extends through the device. Within the device is a frangible link in the electric circuit. A plunger is engageable with the link. A stack of thermally responsive discs is expandable in length to force the plunger against the link to break the link and to interrupt the electric circuit.

The invention having thus been described, the following is claimed: 
     
       1. The method of producing an electric circuit interrupter device comprising producing a cup-shape housing member and producing a relatively flat housing member provided with a recess therein, placing within the cup-shape housing member a stack of thermally responsive disc members which change in total stack length upon subjection to changes in temperature, extending electric conductor means through the relatively flat housing member, positioning within the cup-shape housing member a thruster member which is engageable with the conductor means to sever a portion of the conductor means, positioning a portion of the cup-shape housing member within the recess of the relatively flat housing member while maintaining the housing members at a given temperature, relatively moving the housing members to positions in which the stack of disc members engages the thruster member and the thruster member engages the electric conductor means, placing within the channel a material in a fluid state which solidifies and retains the relative positions of the housing members. 
     
     
       2. The method of producing an electric circuit interrupter device which includes positioning a stack of thermally responsive disc elements within enclosure means and positioning electric conductor means within the enclosure means, the disc elements being of the type which changes in physical shape to change the total stack length upon subjection of the stack to increasing temperatures, positioning thruster means within the enclosure means and between the stack of discs and the electric conductor means, urging the stack of discs toward the thruster member and urging the thruster member toward the electric conductor means while maintaining the disc elements at a given temperature, providing means to maintain the relative positions of the stack of disc elements and the thruster member within the enclosure means, the stack of disc elements expanding in length as the temperature to which the stack is subjected increases and the stack of disc elements forcing the thruster means to sever the electric conductor means when the stack of disc elements is subjected to a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
       3. An electric circuit interrupter device comprising: a housing, electric circuit means extending through the housing, the electric circuit means including frangible link means within the housing, plunger means engageable with the frangible link means, thermally responsive disc means changeable in physical shape in response to a temperature change to move the plunger means to break the frangible link means to interrupt the electric circuit means, the housing including a cup-shape housing portion and a relatively flat housing portion, the relatively flat housing portion having a recess therein, a part of the cup-shape housing portion being positioned in the recess of the relatively flat housing portion, fastening means within the recess and retaining the position of the cup-shape housing portion with respect to the relatively flat housing portion, the fastening means being a material which is changeable from a liquid state to a solid state and which is introduced into the recess in a liquid state and which solidifies in the recess to retain the cup-shape housing portion with respect to the relatively flat housing portion.   
     
     
       4. An electric circuit interrupter device comprising: a housing, electric circuit means extending through the housing, the electric circuit means including frangible link means within the housing, plunger means engageable with the frangible link means, thermally responsive disc means changeable in physical shape in response to a temperature change to move the plunger means to break the frangible link means to interrupt the electric circuit means, the housing being substantially tubular and of electrically conducted material, the housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, a first electric conductor attached to the first end portion of the housing, a second electric conductor, electric insulator means attaching the second electric conductor to the second end portion of the housing, a connector member of electrical conductive material within the housing and electrically connecting the housing to the second electric conductor, the connector member having a frangible link portion between the second conductor and the housing, a plunger within the housing and engageable with the frangible link portion of the connector member, a stack of thermally responsive discs within the housing and changeable in length in response to temperature change to engage the plunger, the stack of discs applying a force upon the plunger as the stack of discs changes in length, the stack of discs thus moving the plunger and breaking the frangible link and interrupting the electric circuit between the second electric conductor and the housing.   
     
     
       5. An electric circuit interrupter device comprising: a housing, electric circuit means extending through the housing, the electric circuit means including frangible link means within the housing, plunger means engageable with the frangible link means, thermally responsive disc means changeable in physical shape in response to a temperature change to move the plunger means to break the frangible link means to interrupt the electric circuit means, the housing being of electrically conductive material, the housing having a pair of opposed portions, a first electric conductor attached to one portion of the housing, a second electric conductor, electrical insulator means joining the second electric conductor to the other portion of the housing, an electric connector member, means electrically connecting the second electric conductor to the connector member and means electrically connecting the connector member to the housing, the connector member being provided with a frangible link between the second conductor and the housing, a plunger within the housing and engageable with the frangible link, a bimetallic disc within the housing and changeable in physical shape to move the plunger to break the link and to interrupt the electric circuit between the second conductor and the housing.   
     
     
       6. An electric circuit interrupter device comprising: electric circuit means including frangible link means, the frangible link means being breakable to interrupt the electric circuit means, thruster means movable with respect to the frangible link means to break the frangible link means, and thermally responsive disc means changeable in physical shape to move the thruster means to break the frangible link means to interrupt the electric circuit means, the electric circuit means including an electrically conductive housing member, a pair of electric conductor members, there being a first electric conductor member and a second electric conductor member, electric conductor means electrically connecting the first electric conductor member to the housing member, electric insulator means connecting the second electric conductor member to the housing, electric connector means connecting the second electric conductor member to the housing, the electric connector member including a frangible link between the second electric conductor member and the housing.